Challenge 2 - Anything But THAT! - @englanddg
You guys get the privilege... No, the honor... To bring back Superstar Limo! All you have to do is use the name and summary of the old ride on the old DCA map, do whatever else you'd like to it. The summary you have to use is...
"A ride through LA's Starstudded Streets"
Put it wherever! Make a an attraction that Californians will want to ride. In addition, it must be a dark ride.
Challenge Addendum for @englanddg only - @Voxels Advantage - Sneaky (um...I meant...Sweet) Sabotage!
You get to give an opponent of your choice the addition of having to use these specific characters!
@
Voxel said - "@englanddg. I was impressed with your work an honestly thought your theme would win. Because of this respect I wanna beat you thus I am sabotaging your attraction good luck"
The Original Superstar Limo
This short lived ride lasted in Disney's California Adventure for exactly one year, and was replaced by Monsters Inc: Mike and Sully to the Rescue!
While not one of the most popular rides ever put at a Disney Park, it did have a simplicity and charm to it. Plenty of sight gags and extremely well done caricatures of popular celebrities from that time (2001) were played over a bright and inviting background. With this in mind, it could be said the ride deserves another chance, given an appropriate facelift.
Presenting the new re-imagined Superstar Limo, with the Muppets!
The Muppets - Superstar Limo
The ride would be located near the current Muppet 3D Theater. With the addition of a new Muppet concept, this section of the park would be re-themed accordingly to have a "Muppet Feel" while still staying with the guidelines of other neighboring themes such as Hollywood Blvd. The exterior theme would be similar to Hollywood Studios.
Expanding on the Muppet IP has been long overdue, especially with a fun dark ride that has thrill elements. The unique use of the ride system (described later) along with the show itself should attract visitors from around the area, and around the world!
The ride begins with the queue, which is divided into three distinct sections. The first section will be themed as the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Guests will be able to pick out their "favorite stars", along with some goofy ones placed next to each other, like (get ready to groan, but hey, this is a Muppet ride!):
1) Tom Cruise / Tom Drive / Tom Fly
2) Jeff Bridges / Jeff Tunnels
3) Neil Patrick Harris / Stand Patrick Harris
4) Keanu Reeves / Keanu Comes Back
Sounds of the hustle and bustle of the city (traffic, pedestrians, street salespeople calling out to "get your star maps here!") would be heard using positional audio to make the listener feel they are truly engulfed on a busy LA street sidewalk.
Additionally, in certain spots, animetronic muppets will make an appearance to tell a funny story or play out a scene. Some examples are:
1) Pepe the King Prawn trying to sell you a star map (this will come up again later)
2) Fozzie Bear dressed up like a Captain A-Bear-ica (waka waka!) having a turf fight with Gonzo dressed up as the Great Gozno.
3) Zoot and Lips playing music on the sidewalk for spare change
As guests leave the first section of the queue, they enter a small pre-staging area where they meet a few characters which each have a small part of the presentation.
The pre-stage show begins as a projected Kermit apologizes for the wait, and begins to explain that the Muppets are trying to help Gonzo with his newly acquired tour business. Gonzo obtained through a convoluted inheritance involving Gonzo's late uncle, Nogzo (new character reference, he won't come up again though. He's just a plot device).
After telling the amusing story, Kermit leaves the screen, saying he's going to go check on what the holdup is.
Gonzo, Bunsen and Beaker appear.
Gonzo confirms that he inherited a limo service, and has decided to turn it into a star studded tour of the city! He goes on to explain that, while controlling the limo has proven an issue, with the improvements made by Muppet Labs, and his newly acquired Professional Limo Drivers License, he is more than capable to lead you on your adventure.
It seems he's spent months working with a team of experts at Muppet Laps to improve the experience of a "Simple Tour". Beaker "Meeps" in the background, sounding a bit scared at this point, and Bunsen says "We think you will be quite pleased!", eliciting another worried "Meep" from Beaker.
At this point, Gonzo leaves to go "warm up the engine", and BoBo the Bear pokes his head in from the side of the screen, shy at first. He comes out and gives a short safety lecture, reminding guests that they are to stay seated, no eating and drinking, and not to use flash photography, etc.
Then the pre-stage queue passes to the third section of the queue. This is themed with the style of the original ride, as a nod, with props littered throughout the room. It would look similar to this (with some Muppet "updates" of course):
This is also the first place you get a view of the "limo" you will be traveling in. Elements of the older ride vehicle would be included, again as a nod, but the decoration would be over the top. Obviously some influence of the design taste of Dr. Teeth went into the "refurb".
Lets step away from the ride through description for a moment to discuss the ride vehicle and mechanics.
The ride system would be on round tracks, like a modern roller coaster. It would utilize magnetic propulsion to accelerate, maintain speed and decelerate for scenes.
The cars themselves would, again as a nod to the original ride, have a screen where videos will play intermittently to help advance the plot as the ride moves along.
You would also have surround sound speakers behind your head, to help immerse you in the experience. Guests will be strapped in with an overhead locking harness (this ride will go upside down).
After boarding, your vehicle will begin to move and will stop at a vehicle queuing area (set up so that there is space between the cars). On your screen, you'll see a small group of Muppets in the "drivers seat".
Gonzo again insists that he is a licensed professional, certified by the "Pepe's Institute of Steering and Gas Pedal Management". To prove it, he shows you a piece of ripped cardboard with the words "Prefeshunal Leemo Pilot" written in crayon on it. Did that sooth your nerves?
He goes on to explain that along with the multimedia enhancements of the screen, etc, the engine has been "fine tuned" with the "latest technology" by Muppet Labs (again you hear Beaker "Meep"). He offers to turn on the radio for you, and you hear this being sung by various muppets. A music video accompanies the song on your screen.
You hear the engine rev loudly, and Gonzo says "Hold on! First stop! Beverly Hills!". The ride accelerates to around 20 mph and takes you over a few small humps (symbolizing the "hills) in a dark tunnel themed with fluorescent street signs and palm trees before slowing down to continue your "tour".
Here, Gonzo passes the tour narration to Pepe the King Prawn. "You all bought my maps before starting this tour, right?", he asks. (told you it would come up again)
Having slowed back down using the electromagnetic system, we pass through the shops of Beverly Hills, all with parody names. D. Blues Brothers is a play on Brooks Brothers, the shop is run by Rowlf the Dog and Fozzy Bear dressed as the Blues Brothers and playing music with each other.
The next shop is Gukki (a play on Gucci). Here, a flustered Mert (one of Henson's first creations, a timid personality, and this is a clear nod) is a salesperson.
(Mert is on the left)
He is trying to restrain Ms. Piggy from Melanie Griffith and Antonio Bandaras. Ms. Piggy is upset because they are wearing the same dress, and she thinks "Moi" looks better.
It seems that they both were trying it on, unknowingly, and had exit their changing rooms at the same time. Hilarity ensues as Piggy breaks into a parody of this song
This interchange is interspersed with sarcastic observations and funny remarks from "Pepe" on your monitor. "Look at the grace and glory of these stars!", as they exit the changing room. And, when Piggy tries to karate chop Melanie Griffith from behind, ending the scene, Pepe says "You can see she has some real star power!"
At this point Gonzo comes back on the screen to inform you that we are off to our next stop, Sunset Strip! Again the ride vehicles speed up and you go through a similar "driving" scene as earlier, except this time the ride tracks snake back and forth rather than up and down. Again Gonzo turns on the radio for you. This song plays, again, a parody sung by Muppets characters. As before, the music video accompanies it on your screen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs6Los4Go4s
Again the ride vehicle slows and you are presented with a comedy club scene. The theme is done up like the Muppet Theater, and who is on the stage? Tim Allen!
Of course, we all know that Tim is a pretty funny guy, but there are some people who just can't be pleased. So, he's being heckled by the grandfathers of the modern internet trolls themselves, Statler and Waldorf! They shout insults and perform sight gags from the comfort of their classic booth.
As the vehicle leaves the scene, Pepe makes an offhand comment that "That guy reminds me of a talking space toy I had a child."
Gonzo comes on to let you know that we are off to tour the fabulous homes of the stars in Bel Air. The ride speeds up again, doing a mix of a hill and a banking 180 degree turn (it's towards the end of the building at this point), and again slows down. As you travel, Gonzo sings a rap to you, a parody of this!
As before, you can see him on your screen singing the song dressed up like the Fresh Prince!
As the vehicle slows and you enter the scene, the first thing you see is Drew Carey...selling maps!
Pepe is infuriated, and says so on your screen. Then, opposite the Drew Animetronic, an anemetronic Pepe appears and starts hurling insults at Drew. "Why are you trying to steal my business! This is my turf!" He also asks "Who's Tour Line is this Anyway? What do you think this is, Cleveland?" (both references to Drew Carey shows) Towards the end of the scene, Pepe yells at Drew "I better not see you around the Chinese Theater!"
Something is happening...strobe lights go off and the tunnel becomes dark as the ride comes to a complete stop.
What is really happening is that the ride vehicle is being positioned on the launcher, but the Guests do not know this.
You begin to hear some rustling, and the feed on your screen cuts in and out as Gonzo tries to warn you and is yelling at someone (or something) in the background...
Gonzo - "Stop, DON'T TOUCH THAT!" (static) "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" (static)
<another voice> "Want go Chinese Theater! WANT GO, WANT GO! GO SEE HANDPRINTS!"
Gonzo - "DON'T, GET OFF!" (static)
<another voice> "GO NOW DRIIIIIIIIIVE!!!! NEED MUSIC!!!!"
Animal's face pops up on your screen as you see him grab the wheel with a horrified Gonzo behind him and makes a motion that he jammed on the gas. Well, that's exactly what he did!
Rock music from Dr. Teeth and the Electric Meyham blares on your screen and speakers as you fly through a dark room with blacklit muppet animetronics, palm trees, cones, etc. Occasionally you'll hear piped in over the music police sirens and other cars honking at you.
The ride speeds up to nearly 60 mph, goes through a few thrilling tight turns and corkscrew loops.
Functionally, the ride is returning to the loading area, but the guest by now should be disoriented by the various scenes and scene transitions.
At this point the ride slows again and you find yourself in front of the Chinese Theater. Gonzo indicates he has taken control of the vehicle, and interacts from the screen with a Kermit animetronic asking how everything went. Gonzo, of course, downplays to Kermit, saying it went "better than expected", but of course, you the guest know better!
From here you proceed out of the exit queue and into a new muppet themed merchandise shop that will be shared with the Muppets 3d Theater exit.
In summary, the ride will combine IPs, with clever nods to the original, while also giving it a new range of characters and situations to play with. A mixture of projections and Animetronics would be used throughout, with a lean towards well themed Animentronics.
In all, this is a deserving take on a poorly executed original ride, and offers to incite new interest in a well-deserving IP such as the Muppets.
